"We hope to benefit from favourable chicken markets as we head into the busy summer months.”

“Our St Pauls facility just commenced production in January, and our new managers and employees will gain valuable training and processing experience with this accelerated production schedule. We hope to benefit from favourable chicken markets as we head into the busy summer months.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Sanderson Farms will purchase, process and sell chickens grown by House of Raeford Farms through mid-December. The deal will also have an option to process chickens on a fee basis.

The company anticipates that its St. Pauls processing plant will generate nearly 20.4 million pounds, 26.3 million pounds and 12.4 million pounds of additional volume in its third fiscal quarter, fourth fiscal quarter of this year and first fiscal quarter of next year, respectively.